Monthly Archives: September 2008

Every year at BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad – or, where Jon spends 40 hours a week), they have a family day. The first year that we went, we were just blown away by what they did. Now we’re a little more used it it, but it is still fabulous! Come along and enjoy our time with us!We’re ready for some fun!

First up, the boucy thing (for lack of a better description or correct term). Adam and Emily were apparently too light to really do much. Adam pretty much spent his whole turn in this position – airborne. Emily tried REALLY hard to actually bounce. Robbie? He didn’t have that problem.

After the bouncy thing, we ate. Every year, no matter the theme, they do hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken. The theme is Mexican Fiesta? Hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken. Carribbean? Hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken. Western? You get the gist. But, they do a great job. They set up this huge tent and just feed people all night long. There are also a bunch of drink stations all over, with unlimited drinks (not the alcoholic kind), as well as my personal favorite – the dessert tent. Again, all you can eat ice cream bars, watermelon, giant pretzels.After dinner, we hit up the carnival games:

And the model trains (it IS a train company after all!):

And the petting zoo:

And the trackless train ride:

And the bouncy houses, and the arts and craft tent, and the tatoo parlor. (No pictures because I was tired of taking pictures by then!)We rounded off the night at the dance floor. They have a “band” (Randi and CJ came with us and Randi informed me that the band was actually pretending to play along to prerecorded music, but they were actually singing!). Mary, my niece, is just about the cutest dancer ever. Don’t you love the outfit? Somehow, I think she picked out the hat.

Oh, and do you know how much this cost? NOTHING! FREE! GRATIS! So, I LOVE BNSF! I don’t think Jon can ever quit – mostly because of the awesome Family Day! Thanks BNSF!

I can’t sleep. I’d really like to, but I can’t. So, I’m surfing the internet, and thought “Hey, I haven’t posted in a while. Why don’t I do that?” So, here I am. Problem is, I’m not sure what to write. I have a million things that I never posted, but at this point, does anyone actually care about pictures from Sea World a month ago? Life has been crazy around the Gee house. I don’t think we had one free Saturday in September. Most of the nights have been busy too. Here’s a little of what we’ve been up to:At the beginning of August I was called as Cub Committee Chairperson. I begged Jon not to release me from being Visiting Teaching Coordinator until after the Visiting Teaching Conference. So, I’m doing double duty. No big deal. They’re not huge callings. I can handle it for a couple of months. Yeah, sure. What was I thinking? It’s not that the work is overwhelming, but I have to switch gears between the two things. Add in a Cub Scout garage sale that I was in charge of (we made $762.45 for the kiddos) and I’m worn out. Oh yeah, I also have pretty much become the substitute for Primary (I think I helped in one capacity or another for 6 weeks in a row). AND, I taught a class at Relief Society enrichment AND did the refreshments last week with 3 days notice (I cheated though and had Randi help me!). Church is wearing me out!We put Robbie in fall baseball. So, practices 2 times a week and a game on Saturdays. On the plus side, we put Robbie in a new league and we LOVE it. Let’s just say we weren’t totally thrilled with where he’s been playing. When you have to tell a coach to stop swearing in front of the kids, something is wrong. But we love our new coach. Robbie has improved more in two weeks than he did all last season. And he’s having a great time. On a funny note, last Saturday at the game, Kelsey fell on the bottom step of the bleachers. As I went down to get her (she was fine), I slipped and fell between the benches. I now have a GIANT bruise on my left leg – and I’m talking it’s about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. I also have a nice bruise on my right leg, although it’s not quite as spectacular. The funny part is that I found it on Sunday and had to think really hard about where I got it. Who doesn’t know where they got a bruise like that? I guess I was just concerned about Kelsey. I really should take a picture . . .Adam is in preschool two days a week . . . . in Arlington. Since it’s a good 35 minute drive, I stay out there. But that’s not a bad thing because I get to see my mom. Occasionally, I even get to see Brad (my little bro) as well.Because we’re not busy enough, we’ve decided to put Emily in gymnastics. We always feel bad the boys get to do things and she doesn’t. Emily had a class last week and LOVED it!My van broke. That’s what happens when you JUST PAID IT OFF A WEEK BEFORE! Seriously? At least it wasn’t anything too bad. Just a water pump. But, because we were so busy, we just kept dumping antifreeze into it and praying that it would make it until Friday. It did. I think Heavenly Father loves us.Last Saturday, Jon performed marriage ceremonies for 3 couples. That is just crazy. One of them didn’t quite get their marriage license in time (in Texas you have to get your marriage license 72 hours before you get married), so they did the whole ceremony thing and then Jon had to marry them again last night. I think he’s supposed to marry someone else this Thursday. But, I think he’s getting good at it!In the next three weeks I have: 4 Cub Scout meetings, Visiting teaching reports to get done, Card club at my house (which means I have to make a card and refreshments), baseball games and practices, gymnastics, a baby shower (at my house – with food!) . . . . and remember that Visiting Teaching Conference? Yeah, I haven’t even started planning that. There are invitations ot make, speakers to call, food to plan, a craft to do, packets to put together, blah, blah, blah. I think part of the reason I’m awake is that I realized that the Visiting Teaching Conference is in 3 weeks and I have done nothing.And lest you think everything is horrible (it’s not!), guess what I did tonight? We didn’t have anything (HALLELUJAH!), so we played in the back yard with the kids. We played frisbee (which Adam is NOT good at – we kept telling him to aim at the house to get it to Jon!), I taught Kelsey to climb up the “rock” wall to get to the slide, we threw the ball for Casey to chase, and Emily and Adam played hopscotch on the back porch. It was an absolutely beautiful night outside, and we had a great time being together.So, if you wondered why you don’t hear much from me, that’s why. And when I don’t post much for the next couple of weeks . . . . well, you get the picture. I might be a little tired, and I will probably be more than a little stressed out. But don’t worry, it will be over soon. (At least that’s what I keep telling myself!)

I’ve been pretty busy today. Busy enough that I didn’t really eat. I had a granola bar on the way to the gym. I didn’t eat lunch unless peanut butter squares count. And I had a meeting at 6:00, so I didn’t have time for dinner.After I got home from the church, my kids told me they had left me dinner. Of course, all that was left was a roll. But, they put it on a plate for me and got me a cup of water. Robbie informed me that they didn’t think that was enough food, so they got me more water. Emily left me a note on my pillow telling me she loves me. Jon did all the dishes so I didn’t have to when I got home. Aren’t they the cutest ever?Oh, I would have taken a picture, but the dog ate my roll. She left the water though. Apparently Casey doesn’t love me as much as the rest of my family. 🙂

So, I was talking to some women in my ward last night and we were discussing how sometimes we don’t post the everyday reality of our lives on our blogs. We tend to focus on the big stuff, like trips and 1st day of school. I suppose it’s to make our lives seem more exciting than they are. I realized that the stuff I post on the blog is probably only about 5% of what actually happens. So, it an effort to be more “real”, here’s my morning.6:42 Get up . . . begrudingly. I was going to take a picture of the alarm clock, but I don’t function at 6:42 in the morning.6:50 Make the kids breakfast. And by breakfast, I mean Apple Jacks in a bowl. [Sidenote: Kelsey found fruit snacks in the closet and wanted them. I said no twice, then was too tired to argue. So, Kelsey had fruit snacks at 7:05]7:26 Take the kids to school in the rain. Explain they can’t walk down today because it’s raining. When asked why other kids can walk down, tell them that those moms don’t love their kids as much as I do.8:07 Do dishes. For the first time. Sigh. Good news? We only had Apple Jacks. [Sidenote: Adam has now asked to watch cartoons twice]8:43 Leave to go to the gym. I’m gonna work out this week if it kills me.9:41 It almost killed me. But at least the kids had fun the Kids Club with all the giant toys like at McDonalds. Oh wait, they were watching the cartoons that Adam has asked for 4 times now instead of doing something active.9:53 Go to Office Depot to get ink for my printer AGAIN. I think the printer is eating it while I’m not looking and then secretly laughing at me when I can’t print the agenda that I need in 5 minutes. Could you explain to me how I can run out of red ink when I’m printing in all black?!?10:09 Wal-Mart. What would my day be like without Wal-Mart? Oh yeah, richer. [Sidenote: I didn’t shower after the gym, so I have no makeup on and I am still in my gym clothes. Oooh, pretty. Thankfully I didn’t run into anyone I know, except Randi and she’s seen worse.] [Sidenote2: I’m thinking of starting a petition for Wal-Mart to stop carrying candy bars by the checkout stands. I’m not sure working out does any good when followed by a Peanut Butter Twix]11:09 Begin kids laundry. I’ve decided my kids don’t need nearly so many clothes. Pondering whether anyone would be offended if I dressed them in swimsuits year round. WAY less laundry that way. As a bonus, I found a dime in the last load. Almost makes up for what I spent at Wal-Mart. Almost . . .11:12 After being home approximately 5.7 minutes, Adam cannot handle the boredom and asks to play a video game.11:16 Can’t take the whining anymore, so I put Kelsey down for a nap. How long do the terrible 2s last? Can I change my name until it’s over, so I don’t have to hear “Mommy!” all day?11:20 Make Peanut Butter Sqaures for the meeting tonight. I KNOW I don’t need to bring refreshments, but somehow can’t help myself. If you feed them, they will come.11:40 Check Hurrican Ike for the 4th time today. For some reason, I am just fascinated with hurricanes. And tornadoes. And storms. Basically any weather oddity. Then spent 10 minutes randomly surfing internet.12:00 I suppose I could shower today. Then, maybe, I’ll feed the kids. But, only if they’re nice . . .So, that is my morning. Terribly exciting. I’d post the rest of my day, but frankly, I would like you to all still be my friends, and that wouldn’t work if you died of boredom. Hope your day is as eventful as mine!

I feel like breaking out in song! The kids are back in school! The kids are back in school! Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my kids. But they were bored. And fighting. And basically making me miserable. So, school is a good thing! Plus, the kids were REALLY excited to go back. Here are some cute pics of the 1st day!

Then, a week later, Adam began preschool! If I thought Robbie and Emily were excited, it was NOTHING compared to Adam. He counted down days for a solid week. That morning, he asked me every 3 minutes if it was time to go, and when it wasn’t, he pouted. Needless to say, he loves it! Here’s Adam on his 1st day!

I have to admit it’s been a little strange. Twice a week, I only have Kelsey. I told Jon the last time I had just one kid who was this little was when Robbie was a baby. I’m not exactly used to it. But it is fabulous! Besides, when I go to the store, Kelsey doesn’t ask for toys or candy incessantly. Bonus! We love school!

So, uh, it’s been a while. Do we need to be reintroduced? Hello, my name is Aubrey and this is my blog. (I should technically say “our” blog, but that would be stretching the truth since I’m the only one who ever posts . . . hint, hint, hint.) I’ve apparently been too busy to write anything. I even promised a month ago that I was going to post a bunch. Did it happen? Nope. BUT, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The kids are back in school (pictures coming . . . and only two weeks late!). The Cub Scout Garage Sale that I’ve been working on is over tomorrow. The trips are over (still more pictures that I need to post). Robbie is settling into Cub Scouts (pictures, pictures, pictures). Yeah, catching up is fun.In the meantime, here’s something that just defines me. I love school supplies. And even more than that, I love CHEAP school supplies. I mean, who can resist 22 cent crayons? Not me! So, once August hits, I start stocking up on crayons and glue for the rest of the year. The kids teachers always ask for more glue sticks about 1/2 way through the year, so I thought I would just buy a few extra every time I went to the store. Then I went to Wal-Mart today and the glue sticks were 10 cents. So, I bought 30 packages. When I got them home, I realized I may have gone a little overboard . . .I’ll use 129 glue sticks, right?!? RIGHT?!? Oh well, at least I have a years supply (who am I kidding, it’s more like a 2 or 3 year supply) of glue sticks. 🙂